Sunstein, Cass R., â€˜The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer’ (August
2002) University of Chicago Law & Economics, Olin Working Paper No. 157; University of Chicago, Public Law Research Paper No. 30. Available at
SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=323661 or DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.323661

Sunstein, Cass R. and Martha Nussbaum, eds. Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Cool! Thanks! Actually blogged about the Sunstein/Nussbaum book here: http://feministlawprofs.law.sc.edu/?p=522 I’m a vegetarian, which is partly why I found the weenie-tini idea so amusing, if that makes any sense.

I didn’t know one way or the other but I thought, well, just in case…! I certainly didn’t want to come across as self-righteous or be seen as crudely proselytizing, for Lord knows I’ve run into more than a few vegans and fellow vegetarians over the years that I’ve found insufferable (so much so that I’ve become rather reluctant in identifying myself as a vegetarian).

Of late, Peter Singer has been writing of ‘compassionate omnivores’ (having to do with how the animals are raised, treated, slaughtered, etc.) so we now have a new category to deal with.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I minimize the leather in my life (no jackets, briefcases or car seats etc.) but I do have some leather shoes. I buy only cruelty-free shampoos and soaps and things, but I do eat dairy products. So, I get my share of criticism from folks with a higher level of committment, but I just roll with it and try not to be obnoxious to others, at least not on this issue :>) I am a fan of Carol Adams work. (Word Press is not letting me do apostrophes for some reason, sorry for the grammar-o)

Whoops! I should have said Singer is writing about ‘non-compassionate omnivores’ (which of course implies the converse, as above). Roger Scruton would have us call the compassionate omnivore a ‘virtuous carnivore.’